Subject:
Title
Brevard County Shore Protection Projects: Resolution and State Cost-Share Request
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Fiscal Impact:
Up to $2,172,600 in Tourist Development Tax (TDT) match for up to $1,167,400 in State funds
Dept/Office:
Natural Resources Management Department
Requested Action:
Recommendation
It is requested that the Board of County Commissioners: 1) approve a resolution supporting the Brevard County Shore Protection Projects; 2) request State grant cost-share funding, matched by local option tourist tax that is dedicated to the Beach Improvement Fund for shore protection projects; 3) authorize the County Manager or designee, with County Attorney, Risk Management and Purchasing Services approval, to advertise and award projects, execute contracts, amendments and task or change orders, as required and in excess of $200,000, to secure state grant funds and accomplish work under state grants; and 4) authorize necessary budget change requests.
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Summary Explanation and Background:
To assist local governments with the non-federal costs of restoring Florida’s critically eroded beaches, the State Legislature provides matching grants to local governments. The Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) ranks Local Government Funding Requests by using criteria adopted by the Florida Legislature.
On June 1, 2023, the State released a call for submittals for the Beach Management Funding Assistance Program for FY24-25. To apply for the funds, a Local Government Funding Request must be accompanied by a supporting resolution. The Funding Request must be submitted by July 31, 2023. Project-specific information will be compared by the FDEP to legislated criteria to determine Brevard County’s rank and cost-share for receiving State matching funds in State FY24-25. The Board of County Commissioners last approved a similar funding plan and Resolution on July 19, 2022.
Projects listed in the attached State FY24-25 Funding Request Table include required monitoring of the South Beaches engineered dune project and the North, Mid and South Reaches of the Federal Shore Protection Project and construction funding for future maintenance of the South Beaches project. State and federal construction funding for the upcoming 23-25 renourishment of the Mid Reach project has already been secured. Estimated costs for these activities to potentially be cost-shared through the FY24-25 request total $3,340,000 including $1,167,400 State and $2,172,600 local funds. The required local match is committed in Tourist Development Office Dedicated Beach Improvement Fund. These projects are identified in the long-range funding plan. The attached table also includes future (beyond FY24-25) project cost estimates as required by the State for future planning purposes, but these future funds are not being requested at this time. If Brevard’s projects receive beach funds allocated by the Legislature for State FY24-25, FDEP grant agreements will be executed to secure funding.
According to a 2015 study completed by the Florida Department of Economic and Demographic Research, each $1 invested by the State for beach restoration generates a positive return on investment of 5.4.
Clerk to the Board Instructions:
Please contact Mike McGarry (Mike.McGarry@brevardFL.gov <mailto:Mike.McGarry@brevardFL.gov> 321-537-1779) or Leslie Snyder (Leslie.Snyder@brevardFL.gov <mailto:Leslie.Snyder@brevardFL.gov> 321-609-7333) to pick up the signed and attested resolution.